Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!cs.utexas.edu!rutgers!psuvax1!psuvm.bitnet!ncsuvm.bitnet!netoprhm
From: NETOPRHM@NCSUVM.BITNET (Hal Meeks)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple
Subject: Re: Video Digitizers
Message-ID: <649NETOPRHM@NCSUVM>
Date: 25 Apr 89 15:35:23 GMT
References: <8904170416.AA29407@crash.cts.com> <1976@wpi.wpi.edu>
Organization: North Carolina State University - Computing Center
Lines: 34


 One such non apple digitiser that could be used is Perfect Vision for
the Amiga. It communicates with the amiga via the paralell port. It also
comes with C source for talking to it, so part of the work is already
done to make a GS version a reality.

It has it's own 64k internal buffer, which allows it to grab a noninterlaced
field (320x200) in 16 gray scale in 1/60 of a second. It will do a interlaced
frame in 1/30 of a second. This qualifies it as a real framegrabber, suitable
for hooking up to a VCR or other video source. It has the capability to do
color, but relies on a "3 pass" method to get it. Sunrize industries sells
an inexpensive color splitter to make this quite easy to do with a still
color source.

I've used one with my Amiga for about a week. The hardware is well done,
but the software (as far as the amiga version goes) is pretty weak. I
think it is the main limiting factor of the device. I'm keeping my Live!.

Output, at least the B&W stuff I did, is pretty damned good, especially at
the $219.00 retail (regularly discounted at approx $180.00). It definitely
blows Computereyes away.

Another one worth looking at is Progressive Peripheral's Framegrabber.
This is expensive; $650.00 last time I checked. It will do it all, including
color in 1/30 of a second. It also uses the parallel port and comes with
source. I haven't actually used one, but have seen output. The HAM mode
(4096 colors, 320x400) pictures were quite stunning.

Hope this helps.
--hal
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 Hal Meeks                 "Everything is a reaction."
 netoprhm@ncsuvm.bitnet
 hgm@ncsuvx.ncsu.edu